Regarding a secondary battery such as a lithium ion, or the like, various techniques have been proposed (see, e.g., Patent Documents 1 to 4).
Patent document 1 discloses a technique for preventing electrical power in excess of a battery limit from being input to a battery in a hybrid vehicle when slip occurs. Specifically, the disclosed technique concerns drive control of an internal combustion engine, a power conversion drive power transmission means, and a motor, such that upon detection of slip due to an idling driving wheel, drive power is output to a drive shaft to suppress the slip within the range of an input limit of a battery.
Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for carrying out pulse charging/discharging to alternately repeat charging and discharging when at least either one of constant-voltage charging and constant-voltage discharging is carried out while a process for determining a remaining capacity of a battery is carried out in a hybrid vehicle. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that repairable temporary deterioration of a battery can be repaired by carrying out pulse charging/discharging while constant-voltage charging or constant-voltage discharging is carried out, to thereby promote activation of a battery electrode.
Patent Document 3 discloses a technique for use in manufacturing of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, for carrying out primary charging by pouring electrolyte after formation of an uncharged secondary battery and thereafter, while maintaining high temperature, for carrying out secondary charging and subsequently discharging to thereby preventing deposition of lithium on an anode surface.
Patent document 4 discloses a technique for measuring a remaining capacity of a lead storage battery in a short time. According to this technique, in order to obtain a voltage corresponding to the depth of discharge, a predetermined amount of power is discharged, followed by a rest period. An open circuit voltage is measured several times immediately after the rest period and after elapse of a predetermined period of time, and an amount of power substantially identical to that which has been discharged is charged, followed by a rest period. An open circuit voltage is then measured several times immediately after the rest period and after elapse of a predetermined period of time.